Completed IV. Going Numb

[Orion Michaels]

60th Day of Fall, 513 AV
Antinous Training Grounds
11th Bell

Orion raised his blade, looking down the weapon at his lovely foe. Liquid copper eyes stared back at him as the corners of her lips turned up into a challenging smirk. Orion wondered if that look was permanently painted on her face. She seemed to constantly be ready to contest him, but regardless, they'd spent more time together in recent days, ever since she tried to help comfort him with copious amounts of alcohol. "Let us see what you have got, tough guy. I've heard nothing but the worst." She mocked him at every turn, but somehow the raven haired woman never truly judged him. It was as though she was simply curious as to who Orion was. She resisted his advances, but never was repulsed. She teased but was never cruel. The woman was a complete mystery to Orion. Just who was this Lilly Grant?

"Talk, talk, talk. Tell me, Lilly, is that blade simply there for show, or is there a chance it'll actually see some action? Are you here to do something? Come on, let's go, beautiful." Orion smacked the flat of his blade against his shield a few times before advancing on her. Lilly could only shake her head. He was a ridiculous man, no matter how one looked at it. The mage-squire brushed a strand of lose hair behind her ear before wrapping both hands around the base of her katana. She detested training weapons, despite the danger associated with using live steel. The on-duty weapon master had seen to it they would have no choice in the matter. Lilly had gravely injured a sparring partner in the past thanks to the use of real weapons. She'd rarely be afforded the opportunity to use something with an edge. It was annoying. It felt unnatural in her hands. No matter how they tried, they'd never create a true katana if it were dumbed down for training. The weight was off, but the young woman would make do.

"Are you just going to circle me all day?" She raised her eyebrows inquisitively. She was always asking him questions, always trying to goad him or manipulate him into doing something. The was no different. "I hadn't realized you were so boring, Michaels. Is this fight over already? That footwork is horrible."

This drew a scowl from Orion. "There's nothing wrong with m-"

Lilly's weapon silence the blue eyed squire.

She lashed out with a horizontal strike. Orion recoiled, driving his shield up to meet her attack. The training blade ricocheted off the steely defense, but she used the motion to continue her assault. The former doctor was amazed by the fluidity of the katana. Everything about it was so elegant, if such a word could describe a tool of death. Or describe Lilly for that matter.

The pale skinned woman spun in a tight circle, using the power from Orion's own defensive move, in addition to her own speed, to deliver an even more devastating slash. With Orion skill recovering from the unbalancing effect the first strike had on him, there was nothing he could have done. Wincing as the katana connected with his right arm, Orion immediately turned his gaze from Lilly. He knew the gloating wouldn't wait a moment. If that had been a real weapon he'd have found himself cut halfway through his chest, or more. That would be it. Lights out on the foolish man after only a few ticks.

The sweet, soft giggle which followed grated at his nerves. "Oh my, Orion. If . . . if you'd like, I'm sure I could find a page for you to square off against. If would be me appropriate for one of your level, no?" She withdrew her blade and batted her eyelashes at him before turning to take her place again. "Lilly one, Orion zero. Not that anyone's surprised."

And she's keeping score. Wonderful.

Orion brought his sword and shield to the ready once more, prepared to try and fight off blade and humiliation alike.

[Orion Michaels]

Lilly seemed able to dance around the squire with ease, her elegant style a stark contrast to that of Orion. The sword and the shield was a tried and tested combo, but in the hands of a novice it proved to be a very straightforward and predictable style. Lilly remained a step ahead of her blue eyed friend at teach and every turn. She flashed him a smile at each sign of frustration as her every action toyed with his emotions. She’d learned quite rapidly of how volatile Orion Michaels’ temperament was. It only made it easier for her to have the fun she desired.

Orion lunged forward, his steel shield sweeping across his body to knock her blade aside. A loud crack rang out as steel and met wood, driving her weapon aside violently. The former doctor followed through with a thrust of his sword but found only air waiting for him. Lilly had again twisted her body, following Orion’s blow to try and slash his arm once again. Seeing the same situation unfolding, he dropped to a knee and rotated his upper body to allow his shield to meet her attack. The collision of their instruments of war again sang forth in the training area. He’d never faced one nearly as graceful as her. Most he had sparred with used a style like his own, slow and steady. She was so very different in everything she did.

Orion lashed out at her feet with his sword, trying to take her legs out from underneath her. The laugh which escaped from the raven haired woman’s lips as she nimbly jumped over his weapon was infuriating. Orion was already a mess. Between children, Dinah, Hadyn, Peyton Morothon, and his rapidly dwindling funds, he was all over the place. Uncertainty gripped his every thought. To add Lilly Grants into the mix was dangerous. A beautiful woman, a squire, and someone who could simultaneously be both one of the best and one of the worst things to ever happen to Orion.

He groaned in embarrassment as she brought her weapon down across his shoulders, landing gracefully, crouched in front of Orion’s face. Blowing him a kiss, she rose back to her feet, withdrawing her blade. He just couldn’t keep up with her. The hardest part about that fact was the very fact that they were both aware of it.
 
”Lilly two, Orion zero,” he deadpanned, pushing himself back to his feet.

Lilly lowered her sword to her side and began to circle Orion, her shoulder brushing against him as she spoke. ”I didn’t think you were this bad,” she began, a small frown breaking her features. ”Something is wrong. That’s what I’ve decided. “ She patted the outside of his left leg with her blade as she passed. Orion  didn’t flinch, growing used to her questioning at this point.

”Tell me what’s wrong,” she demanded, bringing the katana up to rest on her shoulder. She was going to pester him until he caved, it was that simple. She had an unyielding spirit, a most admirable and despicable trait.

Worst of all, she had nailed it. His thoughts were anywhere but on their match. He was losing control of his life, and with another child soon to make an appearance, it wasn’t going to get any better. So instead of answering her with words, he’d reply with his blade. Orion tightened his grasp on his weapon and quickly thrust the tip towards her midsection with a powerful and smooth strike. She twisted her body to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack while loosing one of her own.  The katana moved from its perch on her shoulder and met Orion’s face with the flat of the blade, a satisfying ‘smack’ the result of wood and flesh greeting.

Orion recoiled back from the pain and brought his cheek down to his shoulder to try and rub the smarting feeling from the red mark which rapidly appeared. ”Maybe you’re the problem, Lilly!” Orion hissed at the woman, his pride stung by the ease with which she dispatched him. She wasn’t that much better than he, so to be bested so simply was more than he could handle.

Lilly shook her head, speaking it a matter-of-fact tone. ”No, that’s not it. Stop screwing around and tell me.”
 
Orion brought his sword and shield up instead, refusing to yield.

The mage-squire sighed and brought her weapon back up to the ready. ”You’re an idiot, Michaels. Fine, I’ll beat you up some more and then make you talk. Lilly three, Orion zero. Come at me.”

[Orion Michaels]

Lilly taunted Orion with fake swings and flourishes of her hands hands, all trying to get a rise out of her foe, and to call it successful was an understatement. What made it all the worse was the fact that Orion was completely aware of what she was doing and yet it was still getting to him. She played him like a fiddle, and she'd ignored his attempts to do the same, at least that's how it had appeared to him. Reality may have told an entirely different tale.

Orion slashed horizontally across her body and followed it up with a hard swing of his shield. Lilly jumped back as usual, but this time Orion wasn't going to relent. He continued pressing the assault on her, showing more aggression than he had thus far in their spar. She'd upset him with her digging. It was none of her business. They barely knew each other and she was trying to get him to spill anything that bothered him. At least she wasn't telling him outwardly how he was, even though he was fully aware she thought she had a good gauge on him. He continued moving forward, unyielding in his onslaught of slashes. She continued moving back and side to side to prevent him from getting a solid blow on her. Left, right, left, right. Their weapons kissed once, twice, three times as she was forced to begin to parry his attacks. For once she was on the defensive around him.

You have no reason to know anything about what's going on with my life, Lilly! I don't have a fucking clue what's going on in anymore and now you're trying to force yourself into everything! I don't get it! I don't get it at all!!

What made everything worse was the fact that this stranger was the only person he felt like he could rely on. It was frustrating. Lilly Grant, mage-squire of the Syliran Knights. A dark haired woman, a beautiful dark haired woman. She'd taken an interest in Orion, smothering him and yet not touching a hair at the same time. He didn't understand her at all.

"Distracted, Michaels!?" Lilly gave a short lowering slash knocking his blade downward, but Orion held his shield up to his shoulder and rushed forward, smashing the heavy steel guard into Lilly's body. The young woman was sent stumbling back, and Orion struck out with a low sweeping blow.

Lilly cried out as his weapon connected with her left outer thigh. It seemed the blue eyed squire had a little fight in him yet.

"Orion one, Lilly three," he quipped, wagging the tip of his blade at her mockingly. "Keep this up and I'm likely to slap a little more than your thigh."

She shook her head and brushed her hair aside, grinning back at Orion. "Deflecting my questions with sexual advances? You're the worst. I'd never let you lay a finger on me."

"Oh, that just makes me want you more, Lilly. What do you say? First to five gets to make the other do whatever the other wants? I do believe that my intentions are clear." Orion waved his blade once more more, beckoning for his partner to keep it coming. It wasn't the first time he'd played this game with anyone, though he'd be shocked if she took him up on it. She had the lead, but to give him the chance to do whatever he wanted? No one in their right minds would put that power in his hands.

[Orion Michaels]

"Not on your life, Orion," she replied. He was a hopeless man. Absolutely hopeless. She didn't know why she even concerned herself with him. Lilly lowered her blade and thrust forward. Orion shifted his shield and sent her attack wide, the wooden blade scraping harmlessly against his defense. He followed up with diagonally right to left backhand swing, then quickly brought the weapon back into his body and thrust out himself. The first slash was avoided by another one of her agile twists, but Orion's twist caught her square in the midsection causing her to grunt.

The blue eyed man raised two fingers on his sword hand as she shot him a somewhat annoyed look. He was getting cocky. She'd not seen this side of him. It was different, but whether that was good was yet to be seen.

He smirked and took a few steps back to give him distance from her. "Come on, Lilly. Are you telling me that you've never thought about it? Two bodies intertwined, minds going numb, forgetting about all their troubles? Nothing but flesh on flesh, sweat on sweat, lust on lust? You can lose yourself, if just for one night." Orion ducked under a slash which was sent in reply. She wasn't ready to let him distract her with his lewdness. At least in the moment it seemed that the Orion Michaels who'd received such a..mixed opinion..in Syliras had returned. If Lilly paid attention, however, he was saying more than was on the surface.

"Come on," he continued, jabbing forth a few times to keep her from closing on him again. "You've really never thought about it? We're both beautiful people we're wasting all this time swinging blades at each other. It's energy better spent elsewhere. Besides, I bet you fuck like -"

Smack!!

Orion's head was turned on its base as Lilly lashed out suddenly with a vicious slap.

"Stop it, Orion! Don't you talk to me like that. I'm not some cheap whore you can tempt with some taboo talk. This is done. Go fuck yourself. Been doing that a lot since you knocked up Hadyn, I imagine." Lilly turned on the spot and walked away from the disgusting man.

Orion didn't feel bad. He had no remorse. Lilly had all but announced how much she thought of herself. To treat her like something she didn't want to be was the only means he saw to get back at her. She was prideful, so as Orion watched her walk away, he hoped he'd not ruined another relationship. He could have called after her, he could have apologized for being so rude, but it would be a lie to say he was sorry. It just was what it was. If she was talking to him, she would be asking questions. If she asked questions enough, he'd give up answers. Those were answers he wanted to keep to himself.

How could he tell her about how he'd worked for Peyton Morothon?

How could he tell her about what he did during that job? About how he'd risked compromising everything he'd overcome just for a handful of coin. All it required was convincing himself that it was needed for Emily. He wasn't bringing in coin, but he was hemorrhaging it. Over a half thousand a season, just on her alone. That didn't count any personal expenditures. It was simple enough to rough someone up for a few coins. Too simple.

Orion ignored the people who were giving him sideways glances, judging him for his words and his actions. He couldn't really care. None of them mattered at all. He couldn't focus on them long enough. With the long sword placed back on the weapon rack, he began to make his way towards the exit of the training grounds.

After all, how could he tell her that he was falling back into the person he'd tried to escape?

[Radiant]

Orion :

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Weapon: Longsword	+2 XP
Weapon: Shield	+2 XP
Endurance	+2 XP
Rhetoric	+1 XP
Seduction	+1 XP

Lores

Lore Earned

Lilly Grant: Syliran Mage-Squire

Lilly Is Talkative

Loots

+1 Shield Point

Notes :

Haha! Even it's just for shutting Lilly up. Orion is back to his old self for the moment.

My radiance is not bright enough?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, beam me a PM and we can work it out.